Q:
Why do we thank Hashem for healing us if He is the one who made us ill?
A:
Why do we thank Him for saving us from our enemies, if nothing happens by itself and the enemies were therefore sent by Him? Why should we thank Him for saving us from the trouble that He Himself caused?
And the answer is that of course we would prefer that there should never be any illness and never any enemies. We should live in clover always; we should be reclining in the grass under the fig trees eating ice cream all our lives But then, when would we remember Hakodosh Boruch Hu? You would never think about him. If everything went smoothly always, you can be sure that Hakodosh Boruch Hu would never be in your thoughts.
And therefore it was necessary to bring the illness to remind you that He’s around. It was necessary to bring the enemies to remind our people; and so what happened? We cried out: אנא השם הושיעה נא and רפאנו השם and we remembered Him and when that great achievement of remembering Hashem was accomplished – and that was the main achievement of the episode – then He helped us and He sent a refuah and He sent the yeshuah.
Actually, the first benefit was a bigger benefit than the second. And therefore we have to thank Him for both. And when we thank Him for healing us, it’s actually a thanks for the situation that required the healing. And the truth is that the lesson could have been even better if the enemies would have continued. If the enemies would have continued, we would have learned more and more emunah in Hashem. But Hakodosh Boruch Hu, in His kindliness, decided to give us a change of diet and therefore after giving us a certain amount of instruction in emunah by means of difficulties, of troubles, than he changed the tactics and He gave us emunah in the form of happiness when we were delivered from the troubles. But really He could have continued the first treatment.
So when we thank Him for saving us from the troubles, we are thanking Him for two things. First of all, that he didn’t continue the treatment. He considered it enough – we needed it; was due to us that the treatment was necessary. And secondly, we thank Him in order to utilize the happiness as a different way of recognizing Him and thinking about Him. By thanking Him, we recognize Him in a more pleasant way. And if you thank Hakodosh Boruch Hu that He made you well, then Hakodosh Boruch Hu sees that you know how to utilize the second way and so He will continue.
And as long as we will use our good luck, our happiness, our health, our peace and our prosperity as means of thanking Him, He will continue that treatment. And if we like that treatment, if we prefer that to the other kind, so let’s get busy and thank Him always. And while we’re enjoying all the good things, we should never forget that the purpose of these good things is to remind us that Hakodosh Boruch Hu is around.
TAPE # 40
